Mushroom pit



Patented Mar. 4, 1930v main ROGER W. GRISWOLD, OF IASHTABULA, OHIO MUSHROOM PIT Application filed February 8, 1928. Serial No. 252,785.

The present invention relates, as indicated, to a mushroom pit, and more specifically to means for de-humidifying the air therein and'maintaining the same at a constant desirable low temperature. It is the primary object, therefore, of said invention to provide such means which will be eflicient-in operation, inexpensive to install, and extremely dependable in operation with slight possibility of disrepair. To the accomplishmentof the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forthin detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such dis-- closed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a transverse section through a mushroom pit equipped with the means contemplated by the present invention; Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section thereof taken'at right angles to the view of Fig. 1, only a.

portion of the. pit being shown; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1. and showing a modification; and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the system illustrated in Fig. 3. eferring more particularly to the drawings', the pit herein referred to, is really a house which may be underground orwhich may be partially buried by banking earth along its walls, or which may stand upon the ground 1 as in the instance-illustrated. Said house comprises side walls 2 and end walls 3 supporting a ceiling 4 covered by a roof 5. The roof and ceiling provide an air space'G insulating the pit against the heat of the sun. A plurality of columnar racks 7 mounting trays 8 are arranged with inv the house, it being understood that the mushrooms are grown in the trays 8.

growthof the mushrooms include the generation of heat and moisture. sary, however, to maintainthe temperature The reactions which take place during the of a mushroom pit at about F., and to maintain a given humidity inthe pit. To

of refrigerating particularly 4 and will force streams It is necesaccomplish these ends, I arrange along each side wall 2 adjacent the top thereof, a bank pipes 9. Said pipes are partially enclosed by an inclined Wall or shield 10 secured at its upper end to the ceiling 6 as at 11 and slightly spaced at its lower end 12 from the adjacent side wall 2. It will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 1 that such wall, in conjunction with the side wall 2 and ceiling 4, forms a box completely enclosing the bank 'of refrigerating pipes 9 save for a relatively narrow slit 13 at the bottom of the enclosure. I

Of course it is to be understood that the slit 13 may be broken at spaced points in its length by braces; and that the spirit of my invention will not be violated by substituting for a continuous or substantially continuous slit a plurality of closely spaced apertures.

At spaced points along the length of said wall 10, the latter is provided with apertures 14 leading into the enclosure, and confan of thehousehold type, or any other type of blower. The fan is so mounted as to direct a stream of air into the open end 18 of said conduit 15 and against the bank of pipes 9.

Aswill be readily apparent, when the fans are set into operation, they will draw rom the center of the pit the warm moist air which has risen to a point close to the ceiling of air through the conduits 15 and against the pipes 9. Said pipes will extract the heat from the air, and as theair cools, it will deposit a-portion of its moistureon the pipes 9 in the form of frost; The cool air will fall'through the opening 13 and slide down-wall 2 to spread out along the floor of the pit and absorb heat. As it absorbs such heat, it will be displaced upwardly by more cold air discharged more against the pipes 9.

1 the one explained,

It will be necessary, occasionally, to shut down the fans and the, refrigerating plant and thaw the collected frost from the pipes 9. The water resulting from this operation will flow down the side walls-2 and may be drained off.

Referring now to the modification disclosed in Figs. 3 and 4, it will be seen that the pipes 9 rest upon a grating 19 extending longitudinally of the house adjacent the ceiling 4 and near-the center of the house. The pipes 9 and the grating 19 are enclosed in a channel-like housing or box 20 which is supported from the ceiling 4 by means of spaced brackets 21. The bottom walls 22 of said housing 20 are inclined toward the center thereof and are-of such length as not quite to meet, thus forming a slit or aperture 23. The opposite side walls of the casing 20 are provided with apertures 24, the apertures on opposite sides of said housing being staggered with respect to each'otlier as is clearly shown inFig. 4:. Conduits 15 provided with shelves 16 adapted to support fans 17 communicate with said aper tures 24.

The operation of the modification disclosed in Figs. 3 and 1 is substantially identicalwithth'at of themodification disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2.

' Other modes of-applying the. principle of my invention may be employed instead of change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of thefollowing claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a series of fluid pipes, means subs'antially enclosing said pipes, said means being formed with a plurality of spaced inlet apertures and an outlet aperture, and separate means for causing a flow of air through said respective inlet apertures.

2. In combination, a box extending longitudinally of a building adjacent the top thereof, fluid circulating pipes in said box,

said box being provided with a plurality of spaced-inlet apertures and an outlet aper- -:ture',iand-separate means to cause circulation 0f air through said respectiveinl et apertures into said chamber and against said pipes.

3. In combination, an inclined shield extending along the length of a wall of a buildingadjacent the top thereof, the bottom of said shield being slightly spaced from said iwall, and the top of saidshield being secured to the ceiling and spaced farther from. said walh'fluid pipesmounted within the cham-v be: formed between said shield and said well, said shield being formed with a-plurality of spaced apertures,-ian d independent means for.

, said shield being formed of the building, elongated substantially continuous air discausing a flow of air from the interior of said building-into said chamber through said respective apertures. Y

4. In a building for growing mushrooms and the like, including side walls, an inclined shield extending said walls adjacent the top thereof, the bot along the length of each of tom of each of said shields being slightly 7 a spaced from thecorresponding wall and the top thereof being secured to the ceiling and spaced farther from said wall, refrigerating -pipes mounted within the chambers formed between said shields and said side walls, said shields being formed with spaced apertures tl1erethrough,-and individual means subject to individual control for causing a flow of air through said respectiveapertures. 5. In combination, an inclined shield extending along the length of a wall of a building adjacent the top thereof, the bottom of said shield being slightly spaced from said wall, and the top of said shield being secured to the ceiling and spaced farther from said wall, fluid pipes mounted within the chamber formed between said shield and said wall, with a plurality of apertures at spaced points along its length, a plurality of conduits each having one end in communication with one of said apertures extending toward the interior of said building, and means mounted adjacent the opposite end of stream of air through its respective conduit against said pipes. Y

6. In combination, a box extending the length of a building adjacent the top thereof,

each of said conduits to direct a.

loo

fluid circulating pipes contained in said box,

a plurality of spaced apertures in a side of said box, a conduit open at each end for each of said apertures, one end of each of said conduits communicating with its res ectiveaperture, and the other end thereo being provided with a shelf extending therebeyond, and a fan mounted on said shelf and adapted to directa stream of air through said conduit and into said box, the bottom of said box being inclined and provided with a drip aperture at its lowest level.

17. In ventilating and temperature controlling means forbuildings, the combination of 2115 a box-like enclosure extending lon itu'dinally of the building, said enclosure aving pipes housed within said enclosure for tempering the air passing therethrough.

8. In ventilating and temperature cont-rolling means for buildings, the combination of a box-like enclosure extending longitudinalsaid enclosure having an charge opening anda plurality of spac (1 air inlet openings, separate means for supp ying hair to such respective inlet openings, and

fluid circulating pipes housed Within said enclosure for tempering the air passing therethrough.

9. In ventilating and temperature controlling means for buildings, the combinationof a box-like enclosure extending longitudinally of the building, said enclosure having an elongated substantially continuous air. discharge opening arranged to discharge the air in a definite direction, andaplurality of I spaced air inlet openings, separate means for supplying air to such respective inlet openings, and fluid circulating pipes housed' Within said enclosure for tempering the air passing therethrough.

10. In ventilating and temperature controlling meansfor buildings, the combination of a box-like enclosure extending long'i 'tudinally of the building, said enclosure having an elongated substantially continuous air discharge opening arranged to discharge the air in a definite direction, and a plurality of spaced air inlet openings, separate fans for supplying air to such respective inlet openings, and fluid. circulating pipes housed within said enclosure for tempering the air passing therethrough.

sigied byme this 3rd day of February, 1928.

' ROGER W. GRISWOLD. 

